Over the Counter Cough Remedies

A cough can be a frustrating ailment that can affect your daily activity and nightly rest. Thankfully, treating a cough doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the doctor. Learn a bit about remedies you can try that will heal your troublesome cough without the hassle of a visit to the doctor.

Cough Drops

Cough drops are a great item to have on hand if you suffer from a bothersome cough. They also come in a variety of types to treat different types of coughs. For a wet cough that produces mucus, try a cough drop with menthol to break up phlegm and help alleviate symptoms. If you don’t like using medication, there are plenty of cough drops available that are all natural.

Suppressant

Cough suppressant works to suppress the reflex your body utilizes when trying to get rid of irritants that are present in your throat. A cough suppressant is great, especially when trying to sleep, because it can keep your cough at bay for a while. Mucinex is a great cough suppressant, especially if you have a wet cough, as it also is an expectorant that can help your body rid itself of excess mucus.

Ginger

A good natural cough treatment is ginger, which has healing properties for the throat. Try chewing a stick of ginger the next time your cough acts up, or add a little to hot tea. You also can find ginger in the form of gum that is great for treating a cough. Ginger can be found in various forms at most health food stores.

Hot Drinks

Hot teas are great for opening air passages and soothing coughs. Add a little honey to your tea to help soothe and coat your throat. You also can try adding a little lemon, or as mentioned before, ginger, to hot water as a helpful remedy. Certain medicated powders are made specifically to be drunk in hot water and are great for suppressing and treating a cough. You can find these medicated beverage mixes at most drug stores.

Try a Little Whiskey

A simple mixture of whiskey, tea and honey is great for soothing a sore throat and clearing up your cough. Try mixing a shot of whiskey, such as Jack Daniels, with a cup of hot chamomile tea and a teaspoon of honey. This also a great treatment as the alcohol can help sedate and put you to sleep at night. Remember this treatment is only for adults and should be administered responsibly.